The Slap
by Little Miss188
Summary: This is how the slap from the promo of Prom Queen would play out for me, goes into Funeral. Please read and review!
1. Chapter 1

**I don't own glee but this is how I see the slap playing out. Please read!**

Rachel shimmied her way out of the gym towards the toilets in desperate need of somewhere, anywhere, to clear her head. The night had been very eventful in ways that Rachel could not have predicted. Currently, Kurt was being spun around by Blaine with the King's crown propped in his hair at an exact angle. Rachel had considered going outside for fresh air like everybody else would but she knew that with her luck Jesse or Finn would be waiting there and she would have to endure the awkward conversation that followed. This was her prom too and she was determined to enjoy what was left of the night.

She pushed the door open to be greeted by a strange sight; she had expected to find it empty with everybody outside cheering on the prom royalty as the night was getting into full swing but there was one other occupant. Quinn was dabbing ferociously at her eyes with a piece of scrunched up toilet paper, blotting the tears away. When she saw Rachel she stopped and scowled even more before turning on her heel to face her. "You!" she hissed, Rachel could almost sense the poison that Quinn sent out with that one word. If looks could kill the soloist would be slowly dying right about now. Instead, Rachel rolled her eyes at the typical moodiness. Tonight had not been good for Quinn.

Her boyfriend/date had been kicked out of prom for fighting over his ex-girlfriend in front of her and then she had lost out on Prom Queen when she had been campaigning for at least a month. This night was supposed to be sensational for her but things had just turned out to be horrendous. Rachel assumed that it was only normal for Quinn to take it out on her.

She smiled gently and went to join her by the mirrors. "I'm sorry that you didn't win Prom Queen." Rachel feigned sympathy: maybe she had been sick of the sight of stupid prom posters advertising the blonde for royalty but she knew how much it meant to her and Rachel knew all too well what it felt like to miss out on your goals. It hurt. She could try to be nice to her former enemy at this time, she deserved it.

"No, you're not!" she spat out. Her body was shaking with rage. Anger was not a pretty look for Quinn. Rachel frowned slightly at the retort, of course she was sorry. Quinn had encouraged her to move on from Finn and that was exactly what Rachel was doing mainly to make the former cheerio happy because she was fed up of fighting.

Quinn turned to leave, she could not control her fury right now but Rachel followed persistent on making it up to her. Why did Rachel have to be so damn determined? Why couldn't she be wrong? Why did she have to be perfect? Why couldn't she be flawed just like Quinn was? Why did she have to be so perfect that Quinn's boyfriend was irrevocably in love with her causing the pair to lose the vote (or so she believed)?

Quinn turned around quickly, her eyes cold with vehemence. "You did this to me!" she screamed and before the brunette knew what was happening, a cold hand struck her across the face with more power than she could imagine possible. Instinctively, Rachel raised her hand to cover her, now throbbing, cheek, and stare at Quinn in hurt and confusion.

"W-what?" whispered Rachel, tears escaping despite her attempts to hold them back.

Quinn shook her head, refusing to answer and made a beeline for the door. She was heading home. Prom had been more than a disappointment and she couldn't be bothered with answering to the complaints that she would surely get when Rachel snitched on what happened. Whatever, they all loved her more anyway especially Finn. She didn't care anymore, what was the point in trying? She had tried so hard for the crown and it had ended in failure. Kurt had won it as some sort of cruel prank although he didn't seem too upset; people were really just out to get Quinn weren't they? She had been teased with the poll results into actually believing that she could have her moment before retiring to a life of selling houses.

Rachel could feel her legs buckling, she wanted to slump down on the floor and let the tears stream down her face and mess up her makeup but she knew better. _The show must go on, _she thought before trying to compose herself in the mirror. She had to get out of here.

As soon as she re-entered the gym she saw Mercedes and Sam dancing merrily, at least they were happy. Her gaze was averted to Kurt who was laying his head on Blaine's chest and swaying slowly even though this was a fast pop song. The rest of the glee club was scattered around the hall. She didn't have the power to say goodbye to any of them, if they were in this situation then they would understand.

Rachel should have known better than to think that she could escape without explaining why beforehand. Instantly, Mercedes' eyes fogged over with worry as she traced the retreating figure, she broke away from her dancing partner and ran after Rachel with Sam in tow.

"Rach," she shouted. "Wait up!" Rachel whipped her head round. She was too weak to get away now, they were close, and she knew she would have to describe what happened- a task that she highly wanted to avoid. "What's up?" questioned Mercedes as soon as they were close enough so that they didn't have to shout over the blaring music.

Rachel shrugged but Mercedes just raised an eyebrow. That was evidently not an answer.

"What's wrong Rachel?" Mercedes asked giving Rachel the obvious support that she needed from falling over. Now Sam was coming closer and he was already calling over Kurt whose face was crumpled with concern (an expression mirrored by Blaine).

Rachel sighed: "It's nothing, I mean it's something but-" she stopped, understanding that Quinn would like to keep this a secret for her own benefit. She wouldn't spread what had happened, it would only lead to a downfall for Rachel and a fight shared between the couple, she didn't want any of that to happen she just wanted to get away from the embarrassment. "I just need to get home." She was scared more than anything, fear was eating away at her at what Quinn might do next, if she slapped Rachel she could pretty much do anything if she was annoyed at her. Her thoughts were still on her face where her cheek stung having been branded by the icy fingers of Quinn.

Kurt and Blaine were now by her side. Of course the countertenor could tell that something was wrong with his friend and he knew from her expression exactly who it was, mainly because for a while a few years ago that girl had been his daily annoyance and he had worn that very same expression which was one of the reasons that he offered, "I'll run you home then," he had already linked arms with her so that she couldn't refuse. "Blaine go dance with Brittany and Tina, they've wanted you to do so since your song and I've been hogging you. I'll be back in twenty minutes." Blaine nodded and Kurt whisked Rachel away who felt fragile in his arms. Rachel was already complaining and saying that her dads would pick her up but Kurt wasn't listening, instead he was assisting her out of the massive doors to the halls and out to the car park.

**I have more chapters written but reviews are love, please? xx**


	2. Chapter 2

Trust her luck to find Jesse waiting for her by her locker; they couldn't avoid him in their path. Rachel paled and silenced as Jesse started to approach. In a way she was thankful for Kurt's presence, without him she would have had to face Jesse on her own.

He chuckled as the two divas walked closer. "Don't tell me you won Prom Queen Kurt?" asked Jesse gesturing to the tiara that Kurt had forgotten about wearing.

He shrugged trying to side step the curly haired singer but failing. "Yes." he replied curtly. "Look, I'll explain it to you later but Rach just wants to get home and so I am taking her."

His eyes moved on to Rachel who was now cradling her cheek, her head bent to avoid eye contact. "Rach, I am so sorry about what happened in there." he started suavely. It hadn't been Jesse's fault however he believed that apologising might just put him in her good books.

"That's all very good and well but maybe you could apologize later, we kind of have to get going."

Jesse ignored Kurt and continued with his pre-prepared speech. "It's just that Hudson kid; I don't know what he was thinking. Well actually, I do know what he was thinking. How stupid does he have to be to believe that you would take him back when he came with somebody else?" he laughed.

Automatically Rachel came to Finn's defence. "He's not stupid." she murmured defiantly.

He just shrugged. "Whatever, look maybe I could take you home, I could apologize thoroughly and-"

Kurt had had just about enough of this. Jesse was not helping Rachel's mood, in fact he was probably worsening it. He pushed his way past as powerful as he could and pulled Rachel past him. They were in the car park before Kurt apologized. "I'm sorry he was just really getting underneath my skin." he said. It was no secret that Jesse was not a welcome returner.

Rachel really didn't mind.

They both got in and buckled their belts. Kurt knew that Rachel didn't want to be asked what had happened and so he dodged the question as he started to reverse. They were onto the second song of the "Wicked" soundtrack before he couldn't avoid it anymore.

"Are you going to tell me or not?" he asked, his eyes losing focus on the road but concentrating on Rachel whose shrunken frame was slumped in the seat beside him. Trails from past tears would not be obvious to anyone else but he could see where they had fallen and he knew that it was serious.

"It's not important." she stated, still refusing to make eye contact.

He shrugged and drummed his fingers on the steering wheel in time to the music. "It's important to all of us if Quinn has said anything to you." Rachel froze at the mention of Quinn's name, how did he know?

"She hasn't said anything to me." Well it wasn't her words that had hurt Rachel, she had grown used to the bitterness that she received it was the action that hurt her.

He raised an eyebrow as he flicked the indicator. "Well she's sure done something to you and undoubtedly my dumb step-brother has done something too, probably unknowingly though." Kurt smiled gently. Kurt was somebody who Rachel could trust but she didn't want to ruin his night, it had been a good prom for Kurt and she didn't want to involve him in her troubles. "Sorry about that fight before though." Rachel had insisted that she was fine although a bit shell shocked which was why Kurt was sure that it was not the cause of the crying.

"You don't have to keep on apologizing." Rachel stated and Kurt shrugged, he felt like he should be apologetic that he had not had a bad night with her.

"So are you going to tell me?" Kurt asked again as the next track started.

She shook her head slowly, "There's no point."

"Of course there is point Rach; I'm worried about what has upset you! Do you honestly want me to be worried about my best friend?" Normally, Rachel would have been happy about being classed as Kurt's best friend, he and Mercedes had welcomed her unexpectedly, but now she was just tired.

Still, she felt guilty for keeping quiet, it was polite that he was missing out on part of his night to run her home. "Well it was Quinn." she admitted sheepishly, now gauging Kurt's reaction before revealing the whole story.

When Kurt arrived home (well past three in the morning) nobody was awake apart from Finn who had been staying up for any news on either Quinn or Rachel. He had messed up, big time. Kurt had been giggling to Blaine (who had been allowed to stay over on the condition that Kurt stayed on the couch) but when he clocked eyes on Finn's anxious pose the laughing stopped and he stiffened.

"Hey, how was the rest of prom?" asked Finn smiling as if he was interested in Kurt and Blaine's antics.

Of course, Blaine was completely naive to the fact that he shouldn't be talking to Finn because Kurt had promised to not share the story with anyone else but now he wasn't sure if he could hold it back from Finn. "Great," he chirped. "Kurt won prom queen!"

"Prom queen?" asked Finn. Well now at least he knew to avoid Quinn for as long as possible, she would be in an absolute sour mood not like he wanted to be in her company anyway.

"Yes." Kurt said sullenly. Blaine turned at the sudden change of tone but of course Finn was most surprised.

"What's up dude?" Finn asked as Kurt led Blaine upstairs. Kurt didn't answer. It took all the will he had not to shout at Finn about what a mess he had made of the night for Rachel and that his deranged bitch girlfriend had assaulted the innocent girl all because of him. He only held it back because everybody was asleep and he had promised Rach and he didn't want to upset the poor girl even more, if that was possible.

He had left her in the safe hands of her fathers with the promise that he would return in the morning to check up in her and a quick kiss of reassurance on the forehead. Rachel had smiled faintly and waved Kurt off as he headed back to McKinley with one thing on his mind.

When they were in the privacy of Kurt's room Blaine asked whether he was okay. Kurt sighed: "I'll be fine; it's Rachel I am worried about." Blaine nodded his head, knowing not to ask, and shared a chaste kiss with him before heading to get changed.


	3. Chapter 3

Rachel couldn't get to sleep that night, she didn't know for sure why although she could probably guess the reason. Kurt had promised to see her tomorrow and so she knew that she should get some rest or he would comment on the fact that her eyes were bloodshot but it didn't matter to her now.

Suddenly, her phone started vibrating on the chest of draws beside her bed. Finn's name flashed in bright blue lettering with a picture of Finn cuddling with Rachel, a photo that Kurt had taken when they were talking at the wedding only a few months ago, the last time they had been truly happy. Why was he calling? She didn't want to answer and so she left the phone to rattle away.

Unfortunately, she had diverted her cell phone to her room phone so it went straight to an audible voicemail. "Leave a message after the beep." the monotonous voice droned. "BEEP!"

Rachel hoped that Finn would hang up; he hated voice mails because he always felt awkward about hanging up but it looked as if luck really wasn't on her side tonight.

"Rach, are you there? Of course not, or you would have picked up." Rachel felt partially bad; he wanted desperately to speak to her that was clear in his voice. She knew that prom had turned out badly for him too but not on the same level, of course she thought that she had it harder, at least he could go back into school on Monday and forget about it happening but it now looked that Rachel would have to dig out some stage makeup to clear up the mark but she wasn't that desperate about making an appearance anyway. "I am just ringing up to see how you are." he stated, she could almost envision him scowling at himself for being such a fool as he spoke. "I didn't say sorry and I know that I should have, I don't have any right to hit Jesse but he just got to me that is all."

"And you don't think me seeing you and Quinn dancing together got to me?" she whispered to nobody in particular. Her dress was creasing and she decided to take it off.

Finn coughed, he most definitely didn't want to be apologizing over a machine. "Kurt won't tell me what's wrong," G_ood, _Rachel thought, she knew that she could trust him, "which is why I'm waiting for you in your drive." _What? _Rachel's hands stopped fiddling with the hook and eye and she focussed on his voice. "Your light is on and so I know that you're up."

Quickly, Rachel flicked the light switch off as if it would help disguise that she was in there.

"And now you just turned it off. This is silly Rach; I just want to talk to you. Can't you come down? I need to apologize." Finn's voice was hoarse, he really did sound worried. Foolishly, Rachel forgot about the red swelling on her cheek and went downstairs to welcome him on the drive.

He was there, a dark looming figure on the drive still in his blue tux that was co-ordinated to match Quinn's dress, it stung seeing him in that outfit but she didn't suppose that there was any point in him changing into anything other than pyjamas. She turned the key in the lock and his head whipped round. His growing smile at her appearance was visible as he slid his phone down into his pocket.

"Rach," he said, running up to hug her. Luckily, it was too dark for him to see anything. She stopped him in his course; hugging Finn was a bad idea. He stopped but complied. "Are you okay?"

She wondered whether or not to be honest. "I am fine." she whispered, willing herself to believe it.

"You don't sound it." Finn frowned, picking up on her sad tone of voice. "What are you doing up at this time?"

"Prom only finished an hour or so ago." she stated.

He shrugged, "Yeah but I heard you left early so I was worrying."

"Worrying?" she asked, her arms had goosebumps.

He nodded. "Yeah, I stayed up waiting for you to be home. Coach wouldn't let me back in at all so I left." He noticed her shivering and pulled his tux jacket off.

"No Finn, keep it." she said but she couldn't deny how good it felt to have the warmth of Finn wrapped around her.

He laughed, "You don't have to protest at everything I do Rach."

_Yes but it would sure make your girlfriend happy. _Rachel thought, realising that tears were pricking in her eyes, she would not do this here, she would try and hold all the dignity that she had left.

"Have you spoken to Quinn?" asked Rachel trying to find out if he knew about what had happened, Quinn wouldn't tell him anyway.

As if anyone could get hold of Quinn on a night like this? "No, I haven't tried." he admitted.

"Maybe you should." she advised him, walking back to the house.

He called after her: "Rachel we need to talk!" but Rachel was already holding back the tears in the restraint at not telling him.


End file.
